Where were we? Oh yeah, back-tracked to Kampa’s over $10,000 ridiculous digital mapping project which is an expensive diversion from the primary issue of what the LDPCSD legal boundary was at formation in 1980. Seems to me knowing what was legally approved as a service area when the district was first formed would be the starting point for any serious investigation as to how this district as arrived at such a contradictory, hodgepodge, checkerboard service area map which violates one of the most significant operational regulations you could imagine, ie, where our district could legally service MERCED RIVER WATER under license 11395 with which this district has always operated.
ANYWAY, back to the agenda….
Kampa started to address the AT&T Negotiations but President Danny Johnson pointed out he (Kampa) had skipped over the agenda item titled, WATER RIGHT VIOLATION RESPONSE. Kampa indicated this was not a major issue as the state was only requesting information and the District has not received a formal complaint or even heard from the State in a while.
AT&T Negotiations. Surveyors have been out at the site because both Mariposa and Tuolumne County evidently have an interest in the property and AT&T must decide within which county to initiate construction plans. Due to Kampa’s having to spend time on the matter some expenses are beginning to materialize for the proposed project. The matter will come back to the board before any major decisions are made.
SWRCB Substitute Environmental Document. Kampa reported the meeting held in Merced this same date (Dec 19th) had a very large audience with 26 elected officials speaking which took the majority of time.
Survey for water use efficiency. The GM said the District needed more involvement by the community as it has only received about two dozen responses and there should be at least one hundred. Board President Johnson asked if the “Homeowners paper” (still doesn’t understand the LDPOA is a “Property Owners Association” not a “Homeowners Association”) could be utilized in the effort. Kampa suggested 10% of the customer base would be a good response, therefore, 1,400 customers – (minus) approximately 200 vacation rentals (according to Office Supervisor Syndie Marchesiello = 1,200 customers @ 10% = 120.
Board Member Best Practices Workshop and Attachment on leadership conference. Information presented regarding CSDA workshops available for directors (Directors also receive email notifications of such training opportunities) would assist in the district receiving a “TRANSPARENCY CERTIFICATE” {aka award}
State inspections. Approximately every three to five years with the most recent being performed on November 22 and included the new groundwater wells in the review. Kampa stated there were complimentary words and recognition that district has invested much in its infrastructure.
BACK UP TO PAST AGENDA ITEM PER BOARD PRESIDENT.
President Danny Johnson returned to the CSDA Conference information and asked if there was a fee involved. Kampa replied there was: $600 for first member $400 for the second for two and a half days for the Leadership Conference. Costs varied depending upon particular training and location (Sacramento, Palm Springs, Napa, and Monterey) Kampa suggested directors give him a call because he “lives and breathes” the stuff and is pretty familiar with what is offered.
(Kampa has repeatedly mentioned our district obtaining the CSDA’s District “TRANSPARENCY CERTIFICATE” which is rather ironic considering the lengths he has gone to prevent legitimate public transparency of district management and operations information. Go figure! Guess they don’t have a district “NON-TRANSPARENCY” AWARD – lol)
SKIPPED DISCUSSION ON ITEM State Reports on Water Conservation and Annual Consumer Confidence Report Distribution.
AUDIT. GM Kampa advised the audit was in progress and board would be advised upon completion.
Project Grants and Reimbursements. Money is coming in but the State is pretty slow and the district is still furnishing boxes of requested information. (Approximately $900,000 is still out there to be collected on (reimbursed); a $400,000 DWR (Department of Water Resources grant) and a $500,000 USDA (United States Department of Agriculture grant) Director Warren questioned our finances stating if we are owed $900,000 we are out of cash— Kampa admitted some pretty sizeable transfers from our money market account to the checking account were required and the filter repairs are still outstanding and need to be paid but expected government reimbursement to be furnished in a couple of weeks. The GM stated another 200 pages of requested information is to be delivered next Thursday for the USDA grant reimbursement.
DWR IRWMP GRANT. Two project signs will be installed in the community to inform the public – which are required to obtain the grant. Board President Danny Johnson suggested another sign/banner stating if customers wanted some of the grant money for reimbursement for water efficiency they would have to fill out the survey (mentioned above). Also described as, if you want money for you new toilet – fill out the survey!
Skipped over Service Line Replacement Project item. (Agenda stated Environmental review is complete)
Skipped over Emergency Well Project as already discussed per Board President Danny Johnson under Project Grants and Reimbursements.
Skipped over Water Treatment Plant Filters Cost and Upgrade Status. As already discussed per President Danny Johnson. (Approximately $300,000 for the total project)
Skipped Meter Project Status item as already discussed per Board President Danny Johnson. [From agenda packet: “At last month’s Board meeting, an expenditure to troubleshoot and remedy the problems with the District water meter system was approved. This work will take place on December 20, 2016 with the estimated completion in 4 to 5 days total.”]
Skipped EMERGENCY PUMP BARGE RENOVATIONS as already discussed per Board President Danny Johnson [without studying or acknowledging barge estimate repairs are apparently considerably over the board limit of $20,000.]
Ranchito Well #1 Renovations. Was not “caved in” as was a previous concern. Engineer’s looking at inspection video of well. Another $5,850 for cleaning and testing. Then the board needs to determine a final fix for the well?
Maintenance Plan/Asset Management Program. Attached schedule for implementation of the new SEMS asset management and maintenance software program. Data entry approximately 50% complete.
NOTE: I have never received an adequate answer as to what happened to the former system that was installed to track such maintenance and assets by a former GM. Kampa only said it wasn’t completed correctly and it had to be rebuilt from the ground up.
Dave Worthley asked what caused the problem at Ranchito Well #1 (the original well constructed in 1992 and used to provide groundwater substitution for those properties outside the MID Place of use under 11395 receiving MERCED RIVER WATER). Kampa advised it was due to the minerals in the water that build up with age and deteriorate equipment.
Wes Barton asked about the remaining work on the wells and how much it would cost and Kampa advised it was only SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) work and conduit and would be approximately $56,000 for all three wells plus incidentals.
Victor Afanasiev asked about fire hydrant testing however President Johnson suggested he bring the matter up at the next public comment. Victor said he would.
Board President Johnson said the next matter on the agenda was item 4 Approval of Consent Agenda with several meeting notices. He also pointed out that he and Director Ross were not present at two of the meetings and could therefore not vote on those particular Minutes.
Meeting Minutes approved.
During the approval for the Treasurer’s Report Vice President Dan Hankemeier reiterated his expressed desire to have our contracted accountant appear before the board to explain some of the issues repeatedly brought up at meetings. President Johnson stated the accountant already did attend a meeting once a year after the audit and suggested a “training session” for the board members.
Director Russell Warren reminded the board that they had promised the public to have the accountant attend a meeting. I commented he was supposed to come and answer Wes Barton’s questions. (Questions that have gone unanswered for months) Wes said something about there being two (different financial experts). GM Kampa stated there was a difference between our accountant (CPA-Certified Public Account) and the auditor.
Both Directors Warren and Ross agreed that questions have persisted for over a year and needed answers.
I have a video clip of that remaining discussion (Board’s previous agreement to have the accountant come to a meeting to explain some things Wes Barton has been asking about for over a year now, but first some more blah, blah, blah because I believe it important.
Since the topic was financial I asked why the Board is allowing GM Pete Kampa to pursue a $10,000 plus mapping project when the only missing map is the original one created at the District’s formation in 1980 and approved by Mariposa and Tuolumne County LAFCos.
State of California Licensed Land Surveyor #3190, Keith Leonard performed that survey. You know, it still strikes me as quite peculiar Mariposa or Tuolumne County doesn’t have a copy of that original water service area map. How could a survey be performed and they not receive the final results of that required survey?
Perhaps their known possession would have raised many legitimate questions as to why both counties approved annexations outside the place of use under water license 11395 held by the Merced Irrigation district with which our surface water treatment plant had always pumped MERCED RIVER WATER from Lake McClure? (Even it’s predecessor Sierra Highlands Water Company too!)
Heck the LDPCSD has the original metes and bounds survey (engineering terms in compass headings, degrees, arc angles, distances, etc.] as documented and contained in the September 19th, 2016 meeting agenda packet [hand numbered pages 42- 52 of course].
Why doesn’t the Board just have that decades old missing map plotted for everyone to see and appreciate? They could always add the expensive miscellaneous “bells and whistles” later if they wanted. [Overlays of service expansions both with and without proper LAFCo annexations or even availability fees having been paid. Heck if created to the same scale they could use the numerous existing overlays in our existing records….unless those too have also been conveniently “lost” in the last couple of years.]
Possession of the original map would assist folks in understanding how the political Gerrymandering process works in our district elections to facilitate and guarantee that regulations would never be seriously investigated and understood much less followed.
Well, I guess it is the same old story….it is always easier to spend another person’s [or agency’s] money than your own – especially when there is absolutely no accountability by an intentionally misinformed community.
Sad to say every current and future customer of this district will pay for such blatant waste of money which adds up to a very significant amount. Customers will get stuck with the tab for perpetuity and Kampa & Kompany will eventually just walk away to exploit the next disadvantaged-unorganized community.
How can such fraud be allowed to continue within a public agency operating in the great State of California?
Could it be that the LDPCSD is just one of thousands of other such examples of the outright failure to protect this natural resource required for survival?
Maybe this is just another reason why Governor Brown’s CALIFORNIA WATERFIX proposal was created – despite the “significant and unavoidable” impacts to many communities?
Shame, shame, shame on every director, GM and/or other special interest individual – past and present, who placed special interest agendas over that of the legally intended beneficiaries of water license 11395 in the Lake Don Pedro subdivision. Those who refused/refuse to follow those clear restrictions all share responsibility in what will likely happen to our water supply. Shame, shame, shame.
OK, here’s the video:
My best to you and yours, Lew
